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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28930134">Don't You Hate Him?</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Only_In_December/pseuds/Only_In_December'>Only_In_December</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>In Between Fudge and Needlepoint: A Jack Fenton AU [9]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Danny Phantom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Danny cares about his dad, Danny is a snarky boy, Gen, I don't think people talk about that enough, Jack Fenton centric, Vlad Masters centric, Vlad and Jack used to be friends, Vlad has a lot of complicated emotions regarding Jack, good dad jack fenton</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 13:49:14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,787</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28930134</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Only_In_December/pseuds/Only_In_December</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Don’t you hate my Dad?” Danny raised one eyebrow in challenge.</p><p>“Of course I hate him Daniel. I’ve tried to kill him multiple times already. That isn’t exactly something you do to your friends.” Vlad chuckled coldly.</p><p>“Yeah, but you don't keep framed pictures of people you hate in your desk either." Danny slammed the photograph that he had stolen down on the desk between them, and looked Vlad dead in the eye. "Do you Vlad?"</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Danny Fenton &amp; Jack Fenton, Danny Fenton &amp; Vlad Masters, Jack Fenton &amp; Vlad Masters</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>In Between Fudge and Needlepoint: A Jack Fenton AU [9]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1934956</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>72</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Don't You Hate Him?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is a concept I've had for this AU practically since the beginning. I just find the idea interesting...what if Vlad still had some old mementos from his friendship with Jack?</p><p>There are a couple brief references to some of the other fics in this AU. But they're small, blink and you'll miss 'em ones. So you don't need to read those fics to understand what's going on. ;)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Danny was quite pleased with himself today, he managed to pass his math quiz with a solid 6/10, he got all his chores done, <em> and </em> he managed to sneak into Vlad’s private office to snoop around. He was in ghost form, all the lights turned off, he was relying solely on the faint green glow that he gave off.</p><p> </p><p>Danny hummed softly as he opened another drawer in Vlad’s desk. Inside were some papers like the ones on top of the desk, and in the file cabinets, (boring things about Vlad's business ventures that Jazz would probably find intriguing.) And a picture frame turned upside down. "<em>Finally</em>, something <em> interesting</em>!" Danny picked up the picture, and almost yelped. It was a photo of his dad, and Vlad back in college! Which wasn't necessarily odd, considering the two had been close friends in their collegiate years. But Danny knew how much Vlad <em> hated </em> his dad. So why, was this in Vlad’s desk? Danny took the photo with him, and went to leave. He had an idea, but it would have to wait for at least a couple days, Danny didn't want to risk being caught. Danny turned himself invisible at the sudden creaking sound of the door.</p><p> </p><p>“Is someone in here?” Vlad turned on the light and looked around suspiciously, his eyes scanning right over Danny who held his breath in wait. “I know that someone is in here. I can sense a ghost.” Vlad walked slowly around the office, almost sniffing for the scent of another ghost. Danny took his chance and phased his way out. (He’d definitely have to avoid going to Vlad’s for a few days now. Vlad would be suspicious.)</p><p> </p><p>Danny smirked as he made his way back home. He was definitely going to get Vlad good this time. All he needed was a little more context on their friendship from his dad.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Danny didn’t say anything about Vlad until Jazz and their mom went to go shopping. “Hey Dad? Can I ask you a question?” Danny’s gut tightened. (He didn’t know why he felt so nervous. His dad talked about stuff like this all the time!)</p><p>“What’s up Danno?” Jack looked up from his needlepoint, and took his readers off.</p><p>“What were you and Vlad like in college?” Danny asked, as he fidgeted with his hands.</p><p>“Vladdie and I were thick as thieves since the day we met.” Jack started, smiling as he looked past Danny, to a nicer time. “We were roommates, he saw my theories on ghosts.” A small chuckle escaped as Jack continued talking. “I always <em> wondered </em> if he really cared about those ideas, or if he was just waiting to mock me, like most everyone else did.” Jack looked back at his son again, and smirked a little. “It seems that once you’re the <em> weird ghost kid</em>, it sticks with you. But Vlad was <em> different</em>. He told me all about what it was like for him being a first generation American, and how sometimes he got picked on just because his parents were <em> Russian</em>. We commiserated over that quite a bit.” Jack paused to let out a sigh. “Is that the type of stuff you wanted to know Danny?”</p><p>“Ummm….yeah. What kind of good memories did the two of you have together?” Danny <em> wanted </em> to really know about what their friendship had been like, he <em> needed </em> to know what Vlad had been like in college.</p><p> </p><p>Danny listened to his dad ‘blather on’ about his glory days for almost <em> three hours</em>. Even after Jazz and Maddie walked in the front door, Jack continued on talking all about the good times between him and Vlad. Maddie even pitched in with some good memories of her own. Jazz eventually took the opportunity to ask about their childhoods. And the conversation lasted for almost another <em> four hours, </em> everyone laughed, and reminisced about the good times.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>A few weeks later Danny decided it was time to talk to Vlad. He grabbed the picture he stole, went ghost, and made his way to Vlad’s castle in Wisconsin. Danny snuck into Vlad’s office, which was still empty, turned on the light, and sat down at Vlad’s desk. There he waited knowing that Vlad would be suspicious of the light being on. Danny took this time to look around at the papers that were laying around, he’d tell Jazz all about them later.</p><p> </p><p>Eventually Danny heard someone walking toward the door, so he put all the papers where he found them and sat with the back of the chair turned to the door.</p><p> </p><p>The door opened. “Who’s in here?” Vlad sounded irritated, his voice made Danny flinch a little. (He was glad Vlad couldn’t see him at that moment.) “Whoever you are, I have had a long day. So I’m only going to give you a count of five before I get <em> angry</em>.”</p><p>“Oh please Vlad. We both know you’re <em> already </em> angry.” Danny turned the chair around so Vlad could see the look on his face. (And so he could see the look on Vlad’s. But that’s not the point.) “Really <em>Vladdie,</em> you should invest in better security.”</p><p>“Oh. <em> You</em>. What are you here for <em> Daniel</em>?” Vlad rolled his eyes, slightly deflating Danny’s mood.</p><p>“I have a question for you actually, Mr. Grumpy-Pants.” Danny spun the chair around again. “Don’t you hate my Dad?” Danny raised one eyebrow in challenge.</p><p>“Of course I hate him Daniel. I’ve tried to kill him multiple times already. That isn’t exactly something you do to your friends.” Vlad chuckled coldly, crossing his arms over his chest.</p><p>“Yeah, but you don't keep framed pictures of people you hate in your desk either." Danny slammed the photograph that he had stolen down on the desk between them, and looked Vlad dead in the eye. "Do you Vlad?"</p><p>“I--I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about Daniel.” Vlad tried to play it off like he didn’t recognize the photo (and failed.) “I don’t see what some old picture of your father’s has to do with me.” Vlad’s eyes darted in the opposite direction of the picture.</p><p>“Come on <em> V-man</em>! You know I got this from your desk drawer! The same one that holds all your shell corporation financial information! So tell me. <em> Vladimir Alexandrovitch Masters</em>. Don’t you <em> hate </em> my dad?” Danny picked up the picture and set the frame so that it faced Vlad. <em> “Don’t you hate him?” </em></p><p>“Yes. I do. But there was a time.” Vlad sighed, and picked up the photograph. “There was a time, when Jack Fenton was my closest friend. We did so much together, we were lab partners.” Vlad let out a humorless chuckle. “We were <em> roommates</em>. I trusted him with my <em> life</em>.” Vlad slammed the picture on the desk face down. “Lot of good that did me.” The venom in his voice could have killed. “Jack Fenton cares <em> deeply</em>, with his <em> whole being. </em> And <em> that </em> is his biggest flaw. He gets blinders when he’s <em> excited</em>. This ends in people getting hurt. Sometimes even killed.” Vlad looked at Danny, and leaned onto the desk. “He doesn’t talk about it often, but Sara’s death was on him. Because he got <em> excited</em>. He got <em> careless</em>. And <em> Sara</em>. And <em> you</em>. And <em> I</em>. <em> All </em> got caught in the crosshairs of that.”</p><p>Danny stood up quickly, desperately trying to think of some kind of refute to Vlad’s statement. But before he could say anything, Vlad spoke again. “Let me ask you a question Little Badger. Don’t <em> you </em> hate him? <em> Resent </em> him? <em> Despise </em> what <em> he </em> did to <em> you</em>?”</p><p>“<b><em>NO</em></b>!” Danny slammed his hands on the desk, panting and fuming. “I <em>don’t</em> hate him. I <em>don’t</em>. <em>He</em> <em>didn’t</em> do this to me. <em>I did. </em>He...Dad just kept talking about it. Sam, and Tuck, and I, we <em>all</em> wanted to see if it really was as cool as they made it sound. That’s all.” Danny walked around away from the desk and glared at Vlad. Danny’s brain stumbled for <em>some way</em> to change the subject back to Vlad. “He said the last time he saw you was just after your accident.” Danny’s tone had dropped, but he knew Vlad could still hear him.</p><p>“<em>Yes</em>. He tried to visit the hospital where I was multiple times. Said he wanted to <em> ‘mend bridges.’” </em> Vlad scoffed. “I didn’t ever want to see him again. I still want him gone. My life is <em> better </em> if he’s <em> not </em> in it.”</p><p>“Then why invite him back in at <em> all</em>? <em> Why </em> tell him where you <em> live</em>? <em> Why keep that picture? </em>” Danny walked toward Vlad, punctuating each question with a poke at the man’s chest.</p><p><em> “The vultures failed.” </em> Vlad snarled. “I don’t need to explain myself further than that to <em> you</em>, Daniel.” Vlad took a step toward Danny and glared. “Leave my home. Leave now Daniel. <em> And don’t come back.” </em></p><p>“Only if you tell me why that picture is so important. I get why you tore Dad’s face from that other one. But what makes this picture so special?” Danny took a step back. He was <em> really </em> hoping Vlad would explain, and not just ‘go ghost’ and <em> force </em> Danny out.</p><p><em>“Winter break. </em> That was the first winter break we spent together. He took me to his hometown after plans to meet my own parents had fallen through. <em> That’s </em> why it’s special.” Vlad’s voice had fallen to a harsh whisper, he looked down at the floor and glared. “Now <em> leave</em>.” Vlad turned to Danny and glared. “Leave now <em> Ghost Boy.</em>”</p><p> </p><p>And that’s what Danny did. He left. His head was still reeling from his entire conversation with Vlad. It felt as though Vlad hated Dad, and wanted to rebuild their friendship. Like he couldn’t figure out which one he actually wanted. He still had good memories, tonight had proven that. But still, it seemed that Vlad wouldn’t be extending any real olive branches for a long time.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Vlad sat alone in his office staring at the picture. He had wondered where it had gone.</p><p>The glass was broken, from when he threw it at the wall in anger after the <em> accident</em>. Vlad could still remember <em> exactly </em> what Jack’s face had looked like. <em> Exactly </em> what he had said. <em> Every </em> detail from that day, was <em> burned </em> into his brain.</p><p> </p><p>He had sworn he <em> wouldn’t </em> talk about Jack. Not about <em> anything </em> from college. Not unless Jack, or <em> Maddie </em> brought it up. Yet, the boy got such a rise out of him. He lost his temper. He blew. Not quite as vocally as he would have if it had been Jack. But it still happened. Daniel seemed to be more disturbed by quiet anger anyways.</p><p> </p><p>“Jack Daniel Fenton. I can’t seem to get rid of you.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Vlad still remembers what being friends with Jack was like. No one can convince me otherwise. They were close and there is no way in my mind that Vlad could just let that go after one mistake. Yeah, he's resentful. (Obviously) but he was also just really hurt by what happened. I think that if he let Jack talk to him, things may have gone differently.</p><p>I personally headcanon that the reason they didn't talk after the accident, was that Vlad cut all ties. Not Jack. I've seen a lot of things that make it Jack's fault that they didn't speak for around twenty years. But I really don't think it was.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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